Jess peeked her head out from behind the door ever so slightly; just enough to see outside of her bedroom.
It lay in the very center of the hallway, not ten feet from her doorway.
Covered in fur, and with long, terrible looking claws, it resembled a large wolf, but with hind legs closer to a human’s. It was staring back at her.
A voice in her head suppressed her instinct to scream or run. She wasn’t certain it was the creature itself telepathically communicating its intentions, but she was strangely calmed as she found herself understanding that if she simply didn’t leave her room, the creature wouldn’t harm her.
“DON’T LEAVE YOUR ROOM,” the voice in her head echoed, “DON’T LEAVE YOUR ROOM.”
“What should I do?” she whispered, now kneeling, hanging on to the doorway with both hands.
“DON’T LEAVE YOUR ROOM,” the voice repeated.
“What do you want from me?” she asked, desperately.
The wolf stood up on four legs, and then further onto two. Its chest was hairless, but covered in dozens upon dozens of scars and fresh cuts.
It slowly stumbled toward her, growling.
When it had come within a foot of her door, it fell down to its four legs and crept toward her face. Jess shrunk back entirely into her room. The beast’s head stopped at her doorway and glared up at her.
“What do you want from me?” she repeated.
(tbc)
In Pieces 